Notebook

Notebook

Share this post

Notebook
Notebook
couldn't the fault be in my stars?
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More

couldn't the fault be in my stars?

like just some of the time

BDM
Feb 16, 2024
∙ Paid
26

Share this post

Notebook
Notebook
couldn't the fault be in my stars?
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
13
2
Share

Every once in a while—like every other year or so—I try to believe in astrology, the way some people talk about how they wish they could believe in God. I do believe in God but all that jerk ever gave me was free will. Astrology, on the other hand, gives me constraints: don’t send that email, Mercury’s in retrograde! And look, I never want to send an email. So I’m always open to that kind of input.

Notebook is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

It’s not that I want to believe I’m an X or a Y because I’m a Z, it’s that I like the way that in things like the Tale of Genji they’re always planning things around “auspicious days.” If I had a belief in this sort of thing, the thoughts in my head go, I would wake up on auspicious days (or whatever) and tell myself hit the ground running and then on the lesser days I could just sleep until noon.

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to Notebook to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 B.D. McClay
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture

Share

Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More